NEWSLETTER

February 2015

Monday, 23 February 2015

Next month (March 20th to 21st) will take place the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Kansas (United States) at Capitol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center. According the the official Facebook page of the Grand Lodge, Brother Andrew Hammer will be the keynote speaker during the annual communication.

Friday, 20 February 2015

An announcement made by the Masonic Press Agency a week ago brings attention, once again, for what happens in French Freemasonry. On 28 May 2015 will take place a historic event in the French capital. The French National Grand Lodge and the Grand Orient of France will hold a joint conference: The GLNF-GOdF Lafayette Meetings (Freemasonry, School of thought, School of spirituality).

The event will take place at GOdF's Grand Temple, the subject being: La Franc-Maçonnerie face à ses mythes. Even if the two Masonic organizations represent two different paths, they prove that the dialogue has always been a tool of Freemasonry. GLNF and GOdF are the most important Masonic organizations in the Hexagon. Jean-Pierre Servel demonstrates again the high Masonic diplomacy.

According to Freemasonry Today, the members of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 are hosting a conference at Queens’ College, Cambridge from Friday, 9 September 2016 to Sunday 11 September 2016. The conference is open to all Freemasons and non-Freemasons interested in masonic history.

Quatuor Coronati Lodge #2076was founded in 1884 (consecrated 1886) by nine brethren who were intent on using an evidence-based approach to the study of Masonic history and research into Freemasonry. This innovative approach was intended to replace the imaginative writings of earlier authors on the history of Freemasonry. This new style and approach was later to be referred to as the 'authentic school' of Masonic research.

The founding members were Brothers Sir Charles Warren, William Harry Rylands, Robert Freke Gould, The Revd Adolphus Frederick Alexander Woodford, Sir Walter Besant, John Paul Rylands, Major Sisson Cooper Pratt, William James Hughan and George William Speth.

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

As expected, the signatory Grand Lodges of Basel recognized their failure. According to the Masonic Press Agency, the Grand Lodges of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Estonia and Germany re-recognized the French National Grand Lodge (GLNF). The decisions of the Scandinavian Grand Lodges came in the context of the decision taken by the United Grand Lodge of England, an action supporting GLNF's reality.

Less expected were the decisions of the United Grand Lodges of Germany, Grand Lodge of Austria and the Regular Grand Lodge of Belgium. These Grand Lodges, together with the Grand Lodges of Switzerland (Alpine) and Luxembourg, were the signatories of the Declarations of Basel, Brussels and Berlin, documents which encouraged the Grand Lodge of France (GLdF) to hope for international recognition.

The decision of the Senate of the United Grand Lodges of Germany (31 January 2015) comes amid the failure of GLdF and that of Grand Master Marc Henry to promote, vote and promulgate the fundamental constitutional changes necessary to start the process of international recognition and also on the background changes made within GLNF, realized with great success under the mandate of Grand Master Jean Pierre Servel. The decision of the Senate was unanimously passed.

The Grand Lodge of Luxembourg re-recognized the French National Grand Lodge. The decision was adopted on 11 February 2015 during an Extraordinary session of the mentioned Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge of Luxembourg is the fourth signatory Grand Lodge of the Basel Declaration which recognized again GLNF. The ALPINA Grand Lodge of Switzerland will recognize again GLNF, most likely at the beginning of this summer (at the latest).

The same source informs that a month ago (8 January 2015), the Supreme Council for England and Wales announced the suspension of recognition for the Supreme Council for France (SCplF). The decision of the Supreme Council in London has immediate effect and stipulates, among other, that the members of the Scottish Order in England should not to visit the Lodges/Chapters under the jurisdiction of the AASR of SCplF. Also, members SCplF's members must not visit the Lodges/Chapters within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council for England and Wales.

Given the position adopted by the current leader of SCplF (Jean-Luc Fauque, President of the Confederation of European Supreme Councils) regarding the French National Grand Lodge and taking into account the decision of the United Grand Lodge of England, it is understandable why the English Jurisdiction of the AASR decided to suspend relations with the Supreme Council for France.

Equally important was the lack of representatives from Northern and Southern Jurisdictions of the AASR for the United States at SCplF's Annual Communication in December 2014. It is important to observe which will be the international reactions following the decision in London and how and if Fauque will be received at the biennial of the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America (Washington D.C.).

Following the attacks that took place in Paris in January, almost all Masonic organizations in France have issued press releases condemning the actions of terrorists. Freemasons from around the world expressed their condolences and support to French Freemasons, messages being received from: Malta, Slovenia, Peru, Turkey, Ukraine, Haiti, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Romania, Greece, Croatia, China, Azerbaijan, Togo, Italy, Latin America etc.

Wednesday, 4 February 2015

According to the Masonic Press Agency, last year the Grand Master of Chile received the President at the Annual Communication:

President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet visited the Grand Lodge of Chile. This is the first time in the history of this country when a President makes an official visit and talks in front of the Grand Lodge of Chilean Freemasons. At the time of her entry into the Grand Temple, Bachelet was cheered by over 650 Freemasons and guests present. Bachelet's father was a Freemason, as was her maternal grandfather.

Chilean Presidency informed that Mrs. President attended the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Chile to provide to the national Freemasonry a recognition for its contribution to education, freedom, State and public policies.

The Most Worshipful Grand Master of Chile said: "We feel particularly proud because, you, Madam President, you are always considered a person close to our institution."

The Masonic Press Agency informed yesterday that Helmut Schmidt, former Chancellor of Germany, received on 26 January 2015 the Stresemann Prize from one of the 5 Grand Lodges composing the United Grand Lodges of Germany.

Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt was born at the end of World War I. He is a German Social Democratic (SPD) politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Prior to becoming Chancellor, he had served as Minister of Defence (1969-1972). As Minister of Finance (1972 to 1974), he gained credit for financial policies that consolidated the Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle), giving Germany the most stable currency and economic position in the world. He had also served briefly as Minister of Economics and as acting Foreign Minister.

As Chancellor, he focused on international affairs, seeking "political unification of Europe in partnership with the United States". He was an energetic diplomat who sought European co-operation and international economic co-ordination. He was re-elected chancellor in 1976 and 1980, but his coalition fell apart in 1982 with the switch by his coalition allies, the Free Democratic Party. He retired from Parliament in 1987, after clashing with the SPD's left wing, who opposed him on defence and economic issues. In 1986 he was a leading proponent of European monetary union and a European Central Bank.